Child&#39;s automobile.



W. G. JAHNKE.

CHILDS AUTOMOBILE.

APPLICATION man OCT. 5, 1914.

1,146,880. Patented July 20, 1915.

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' CHILDS AUTOMOBILE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July so, i'eia.

Application filed October 5, 1914. Serial No. 864,981.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILL AM G. JAHNKE, acitizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Childrens Automo-v biles, of which the following is afull, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

The subject matter of this invention is a toy automobile.

In the construction of apparatus of this type it is necessary tosimplify the structure for the purpose of reducing the cost and ofgiving the child a mechanism which can be readily understood.

It is further desirable to dispense, as much as possible, with all gearsand similar parts, in order that the child may not be injured inoperating or playing with the device.

It is an object of this invention to provide a toy automobile of animproved and simpli iied construction. The manner in which this isaccomplished will be understood from the following specification takenin connection with the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of atoy automobile embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation,partly in section; Fig. 3 is a rear view of the frame and wheels; Fig.4is a front view of the same; Fig. 5 is a crosssectional view showing thesuspension of the driving wheel; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of thesteering mechanism.

The toy automobile shown in the above figures is a four-wheeled vehiclehaving front wheels 1 and rear wheels 2 connected by means of thethreepoint suspension frame 4. This frame, as may be seen in Fig. 2, islight and flexible in order that the same may bend under the weight ofthe child. A seat 5, which may be of any convenient size or material, ismounted on the rear part of the frame at a convenient distance from thedriving wheel 6. The driving wheel 6 is suspended from the frame bymeans of the brackets 7 and is provided with a crank 8 and pedals 9, tobe operated by the driver.

When the vehicle is unoccupied, the flexibility of the frame 4 causesthe wheel 6 to be either out of contact with the ground or in contact tosuch a slight extent that said wheel would be incapable of tractiveeffort, due to the small amount of adhesion to the roadway which itwould'have if not weighted down in some manner. When the driver takeshis place in the seat of the car the necessary weight is supplied, theframe is flexed, and the driving wheel brought into firm engagement withthe road. The weight of the driver on the flexible frame causes thedriving wheel to remain in constant contact with the ground and toconform to the ir regularities thereof.

The rear wheels 2 are mounted on a rear axle 10 which is fastened to thedepending legs 11 of the frame 4. The wheels may be secured to the shaftand the bearing arranged in the loop 12 of the frame, but preferablythese wheelsare free to rotate on the shaft in order to decrease thefriction and to allow differential movement when the automobile isturning.

The front wheels 1 have bearings on the front axle 13 which is mountedin the frame 4; by means of a loop 14: forming an extension of the frame4:. A post 15 is attached to the axle 13 and forms part thereof. Thispost is mounted vertically in the loop 14, being secured thereto bysuitable bolts, or the like, and carries a beveled gear 16 forengagement with a corresponding beveled gear 17 mounted on the steeringcolumn 18. The steering column has its bearings in a bracket 19 securedto the top of the frame 4 and a depending bracket 20 secured on thebottom of the frame 4, as shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 6.

A suitable steering wheel 21 is secured to the steering column 18 insuitable proximity to the seat 5. In operation, the weight of the driverupon the seat 5 brings the traction wheel 6 into engagement with theroad bed with suflicient pressure to allow of driving the toy in amanner similar to the velocipede. The steering wheel 21 affords asuitable hold and, at the same time, forms suitable means for guidingthe device without taking the traction wheel 6 out of alinement with theseat 5, hence there is no danger of the traction wheel 6 rubbing againstthe clothes of the driver.

The wheel 6 is preferably of as large a diameter as can conveniently besecured, in order to increase the speed with which the machine may bedriven, as well as to allow of a greater traction surface.

The wheels 1, 2 and 6 are preferably pro vided with rubber tires, butthe same is not absolutely necessary. The flexibility of the frameallows the Wheels to be brought into alinement and to take up theinequalities of the road bed, but 1' have found that a much bettertraotive effort is secured by the use of a resilient tire on thetraction Wheel.

'While I have illustrated one particular embodiment of my invention, itis to be understood that a number of modifications Will at once becomeapparent to those skilled in the art, all of: Which I consider to comeWithin the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. In a vehicle of the class described, a plurality of load supportingWheels, a normally inoperative traction Wheel and a fieXible framejoining said Wheels, said traction Wheel being brought into operativeengagement With the roadway by the Weight of the occupant.

2. In a vehicle of the class described, a pair of rear Wheels, a pair offront Wheels, a frame joining said front and rear Wheels,

steering means for steering said front Wheels, a normally inoperativetraction Wheel intermediate said front and said rear Wheels, means todrive said traction Wheel, said frame being flexed by the Weight of thedriver to bring said traction Wheel into frictional engagement With theroadway.

3. In combination, a pair of front wheels. a pair of rear Wheels, aframe joining said front and rear Wheels, said frame having a flexibleportion, a traction Wheel secured to said frame intermediate said frontand said rear wheels, a crank and'Ypedalsfor driving said tractionWheel, and a seat on said frame adjacent said flexible portion.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this: 3rd day ofOctober, A. D. 1 914.

' WILLIAM G. J'AHNKE.

Witnesses:

LnsLInW. FRICK'E, CAMERON A. VVIn'rsnrn.

Copies of'this patentmay bevobtained'for five cents each, by addressing.the Commissioner of Patent;- Washington, D. C.

